Leonardo is a global high-tech company and one of the leading players in Aerospace, Defence and Security. Headquartered in Italy, Leonardo has over 45,000 employees, of which 7,000 are in the UK. Leonardo is a globally recognised leader in the design, supply and support of integrated airborne Electronic Warfare (EW) solutions. The Electronics UK Business Unit designs, develops and produces a wide range of products and solutions for air, land and maritime platforms that include integrated mission systems, radars and sensors, electronic warfare systems, on-board avionics and communications, air launched effects and a range of support solutions.
The Opportunity
At Leonardo, we have a fantastic opportunity for a Strategic Capture Manager to join our EW sales team with a specific focus on supporting the aspirations of our Middle East (ME) Customers. Leonardo is one of the UK Government’s nominated contractors under the Government-to-Government arrangements to provide equipment, support and training to partners in the Middle East. Leonardo is committed to supporting the growth of the sovereign capability through the provision of discrete capabilities, training and development of through the growth of the Partner Companies thereby reinforcing Industrialisation and Partnerships.
The role of a Strategic Capture Manager (ME) is to lead the business winning process during tender and negotiation phase for complex large value programmes. You will be responsible for engaging closely with customers, industry partners, end-users and integrators in both the UK and ME, in order to close deals that meet our business plan targets.
The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of both the UK and international defence and aerospace market, as well as experience and proven success in strategic selling of complex EW (or similar) solutions, leveraging on significant experience working with both domestic and International partners to deliver complex, multifaceted solutions that meet customer expectations. This is a high profile role focussed on a key growth area for the organisation, with the successful applicant regularly briefing senior leadership with the opportunity to visibly excel and become a significant contributor to the organisation’s success over the next decade. Experience of business capture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is highly valued.
Job Description
As Strategic Capture Manager (ME), the Job Holder is reports to the Head of Strategic Capture for key stakeholder management and engagement, defining, planning, managing and delivery of activity to meet both customer and business requirements. The Job Holder will be responsible for working with key industry partners, both in the UK and managing and reporting all aspects of the design, construction, testing and commissioning of programmes/projects to cost, time and quality. A key aspect of this role will focus on the delivery of programmes/projects, supporting the customer’s aspiration to develop a National Joint CEMA capability in country.
The Strategic Capture Manager will be the main Leonardo point of focus to lead this large, multi-year, partnered complex pursuit in the EW line of business. Using their significant domain, market and customer knowledge to help define the strategy and prosecute an integrated approach for capture of the business. They will be responsible for leading the Leonardo support and responses in support of all aspects of the campaign, ranging from input to White Papers to the implementation and delivery of the Joint CEMA HQ.
This will require considerable external engagement with customers, platform primes, commercial partners and a wide range of CEMA. Therefore, the role holder must have excellent communication skills and be credible when engaging with customers to negotiate commercial and technical solutions. The successful candidate will be required to build a detailed capture plan based on the bid strategy to secure pursuit, bid and resourcing approvals. They will also develop bespoke win strategies, generate the price to win for individual supporting aspects of the campaign and provide oversight and input into the drafting of proposals.
The ideal candidate will have a demonstrable record of success in leading complex business pursuits, with a focus on meeting customer needs. An understanding of EW is essential alongside how defence customers make decisions. The role holder will have to demonstrate strong collaborative skills, tenacity and resilience during bid and tender stages.
Person Specification
Relevant sector experience and commercial knowledge. In particular, knowledge of the value of EW and CEMA.
Self-starter and highly motivated and able to set short and long-term planning goals in line with campaign and business needs.
Innovative thinker able to anticipate and overcome problems in a complex international sales environment.
Experience of export campaigns, International customers and influence of UK MOD to support Defence exporter opportunities.
Significant experience in developing, managing and leading strategic campaigns within the Defence sector.
Excellent communication, influence and presentation skills.
Experienced and confident briefer, comfortable in all environments, from senior internal stakeholders, across industry, UK Government and International partners and customers.
Required to make frequent visits (including overnight stays) to customer facilities in both the UK and overseas.
Key Responsibilities
Development and execution of strategies defining capture and win business on a complex multi-year proposition.
Work collaboratively with the customer, key industry partners, and specialist consultants to coordinate bid activity and deliver innovative/competitive proposals.
Develop bespoke win strategies; generate the price to win for pursuits.
Lead the preparation of proposals for customers.
Develop and maintain relationships with Customers & End Users as well as Industry Partners.
Develop and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders including Regional and Divisional Marketing, our Capability function and other Leonardo lines of business.
Track opportunities, present detailed prospects to SLT in order to secure pursuit, bid and resourcing approvals.
Identify, create and validate opportunities for future sales and growth.
Provide input to and support marketing & communications (MARCOM) events (exhibitions, demonstrations, conferences), as planned and directed.
Assist in the preparation of private venture (PV) investment business cases to develop new capabilities.